Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 103,000 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 100,250 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 2,750 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 109

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky
Area comparison map: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,970 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation:
mean elevation: 557 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull Glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
agricultural land: 18.7% arable land 1.2%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 17.5%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 0.3%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 81% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity
volcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe